Curtain formed of sliding sheets of cloth or the like

ABSTRACT

A curtain constituted of a stationary supporting device, formed by a plurality of modular elements and by two end pieces, and provided with longitudinal guiding channels or runways, with a longitudinal lower slot, of a plurality of box-like elongated members, slidably mounted in some of the said longitudinal runways, and of a plurality of panels each formed of a length of cloth or other flexible laminar material and carried by one of said box-like members, wherein the end pieces of the stationary supporting device are adapted to telescopically receive for the desired extent the facing end of the stationary supporting device, while each box-like member supports the pertinent panel by means of a first composite bar adapted to lock, in releasable manner, the upper edge of said cloth length thereto, the lower portion of which that exceeds the useful cloth length is rolled up and accommodated in the inside of a second composite bar, being provided means to enable a relative movement between two adjacent panels to pass from an overlapping relationship to a substantially aligned relationship and to be then moved in unison as train elements drawn by a pilot panel with the vertical edges of two adjacent panels overlapping one another for a desire adjustable extent.

Oct. 14, 1975 United States Patent 1 Malferrari CURTAIN FORMED OF SLIDING SHEETS vice, formed by a plurality of modular elements and ()F CLOTH OR THE LIKE by two end pieces, and provided with longitudinal guiding channels or runways, with a longitudinal lower [75] Inventor: Corrado Malferrari,

slot of a plurality of box-like elongated members, slidably mounted in some of the said longitudinal run- Rioveggio-Bologna, Italy Modular S.p.A

ways, and of a plurality of panels each formed of a length of cloth or other flexible laminar material and Bologna, Italy [73] Assignee:

Filed:

[22] 1974 carried by one of said box-like members, wherein the [21] Appl. No.: 433,136

end pieces of the stationary supporting device are adapted to telescopically receive for the desired extent the facing end of the stationary supporting device, while each box-like member supports the pertinent panel by means of a first composite bar adapted to lock, in releasable manner, the upper edge of said [30] Foreign Application Priority Data Nov. 14, 1973 53685/73 cloth length thereto, the lower portion of which that exceeds the useful cloth length is rolled up and accommodated in the inside of a second composite bar, being provided means to enable a relative movement between two adjacent panels to pass from an overlap- 28 0 OM 3 M5 6 2 8 lwm n 7 oo mmw mm .6 m "03 "62 W mw z 02 n uz l m mm m hl .c "Ur ""nm lm hf C d SLd UhF H M 555 [ll References Cited ping relationship to a substantially aligned relationship UNITED STATES PATENTS and to be then moved in unison as train elements 3,348,603 10/1967 Ford 160/202 drawn y a pilot panel with the vertical edges of w adjacent panels overlapping one another for a desire adjustable extent.

Primary Examiner-Philip C. Kannan Attorney, Agent, or FirmLilling & Siege] [57] ABSTRACT A curtain constituted of a stationary supporting de- 9 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures US. Patent Oct. 14, 1975 Sheet 1 of6 3,911,991

Til/z All U.S.'Patent Oct. 14, 1975 Sheet20f6 3,911,991

filthy. O w 2 FIG.2

FIG.3

US. Patent Oct. 14, 1975 Sheet3 of6 3,911,991

FIG.4

US. Patent Oct. 14, 1975 Sheet40f6 3,911,991

Sheet 5 of 6 US. Patent Oct. 14, 1975 U.S. Patent Oct. 14, 1975 Sheet 6 of6 3,911,991

FIG.1O

CURTAIN FORMED OF SLIDING SHEETS OF CLOTH OR THE LIKE The present invention relates to a curtain which is formed by a plurality of panels made of sheets or lengths of cloth or other flexible laminar material and which are each carried by a supporting member, slidely mounted on a stationary supporting device; said panels and the parts connected thereto can be caused to move back and forth by drawing a cable or string which is fixedly connected to a pilot panel, means being associated with said cable or string in order to control the movements of all the panels or of the two halves of them in one or both their running directions respectively.

An object of this invention is to provide a connection system of said panels to each other so that said panels can be moved back and forth as train elements and so that in their substantially aligned relationship the vertical edges of adjacent panels are in overlapping relationship one to the other of an adjustable extent.

Another object of the invention is to provide a stationary elongated supporting device including longitudinal runways enabling sliding movements of box-like members supported on wheels and each supporting a cloth sheet of whatever length, said stationary supporting device being formed by a plurality of modular standard elements and by two shaped end pieces provided to close and conceal the ends of said runways as well as to accommodate the means to guide downwards the control cables or strings and which can also telescopically receive into their inner cavities the ends of the adjacent modular elements forming the stationary sup porting device for a more or less extent in order to compensate for eventual differences between the width of the space which will be occupied by the curtain and the maximum length of the supporting device which could be constructed by assembling only modular standard elements and which is shorter than the width of the curtain to be obtained.

A further object of the invention is to provide first composite shaped bars for supporting the cloth lengths and adapted to connect the upper edge of each cloth length or sheet to the respective composite bar in a releasable manner without requiring the use of tools, screws or analogous locking means, and also enabling an easy disassembling of said cloth sheet therefrom.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide second composite articulated bars, each cooperating with one of the said first composite bars and designed to lock the lower portion of a cloth sheet without the use of any tool or the like and which are also so shaped as to form a housing to receive that lower portion of the cloth sheet which exceeds the length which is required to form the curtain panel so that the sheets of cloth, plastics or the like can have standard lengths and can be used to form panels of whichever intermediate length which is comprised between two successive standard lengths and that results from the particular configuration of said lower composite bars.

It is to be pointed out that in the case wherein cloth panels are concerned, after washing operations of the cloth sheets, said second composite bars allow to compensate for an eventual shrinkage of the cloth due to cleaning operations, enabling to take out of the housing provided in each articulated lower bar the necessary further length of cloth.

Curtains formed of sliding panels made of cloth, or the like of various types are already known in the art. According to a first type, panels are provided which are slidably mounted on a supporting device and which are moved back and forth and stopped by hand, independently one from the other.

According to another type, the positioning of each panel is controlled by a respective cable or string so that there is the inconvenience of a very entangled control cable system.

According to a more recent solution, provision has been made that the panels forming a curtain be drawn by a pilot panel controlled by a cable or string, but said support and control system is fairly coarse and/or complicated and does not allow and easy assembling of said panels; further it requires panels of predetermined width and length.

The present invention aims to overcome said inconveniences by providing a curtain, wherein its rigid components may be easily constructed by an extrusion process from a light metal, preferably aluminium, or from plastics, preferably reinforced plastics, so as to be very inexpensive to produce. Further the curtain installation is quite simple and may be performed by relatively unskilled personel without requiring special tools so that the user himself may buy an assembly including all the components necessary for the construction of the curtain carrying structure, the control means as well as sheets of cloth or the like so that he can himself provide for their assembling, since no tools are required except a pliers and a screwdriver, due to the fact that nearly all of the most important assembling operations are only concerned with the simple joining of the components. Also the cloth panels have standard sizes.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent upon consideration of the following description taken in consideration with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a vertical cross section of a curtain formed of four panels and shown in the open position of said curtain;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a portion of the stationary supporting device including a plurality of runways for the sliding box-like members carrying the panels, as shown in FIG. 1, two box-like members, into one of which is about to be introduced a composite upper bar, and wherein a wheeled slider for the suspension of a box-like member is ready to be introduced into the respective channel provided in said box-like members, while a plug end device to fix a panel to its earring box-like member is shown before its assembling;

FIGS. 3 and 4 show a front view and a top view respectively of a wheeled slider, which has been partially sectioned; FIG. 5 is a perspective view of that portion 1 of a modular element designed to form the stationary supporting device, wherein is located a device for anchoring said modular element to the ceiling of the room; said anchoring device being shown in an exploded view;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of one of the end pieces and of a portion of the adjacent modular element before the telescopic joining of this latter portion to said end piece;

FIG. 7 is a partial vertical section of an end piece and of some of the modular elements forming the stationary supporting device, taken in the plane wherein a control string comes down;

FIG. 8 is a partial top view of an end piece;

FIG. 9 is the detail of the system provided to fix an end piece to the side wall adjacent to the wall along which the curtain is mounted, said end piece being shown in a partial side view sectioned at its right end; and

FIG. is a perspective view of a modified articulated bar for accomodating the lower portion of the cloth sheet exceeding the lengthnecessary to form a panel, which is only partially illustrated; said Figure also showing a removable end piece for closing the inner channel arranged in the inside of a composite articulated bar, and a cap device to cover said end piece.

The curtain of the present invention is constituted of a stationary elongated supporting device which is formed by a plurality of modular elements, generally indicated 1, into which are arranged parallel longitudinal runways each having a longitudinal lower slot, and of a plurality of modular box-like members, generally marked 2, to each of which is removably connected by a composite bar, generally indicated at 23. The upper edge of a sheet made of cloth, plastics or other laminar flexible material, generally identified as a panel and marked 3 has its lower portion connected, in a releasable manner, to a pliers-like articulated bar, generally marked 4.

In addition to said main components, there are two end or head pieces, generally marked 5, which will be telescopically connected to their adjacent modular elements 1.

Now referring in detail to the drawings, the curtain of the present invention comprises a stationary longitudinal supporting device formed by a plurality of modular elements 1 which are connected to each other by simple restraint joints. The modular elements 1 are constituted of structural shaped bodies made of light metal, in particular aluminium, and may be constructed by an extrusion system or other suitable process. In said modular elements 1 a plurality of longitudinal guiding runways or channels 6 are arranged, rectangular in cross section and which are each provided with a longitudinal lower slot 7 so as to define sliding railways for pairs of wheels 8 supported by wheeled sliders, generally marked 9. At their upper part the guiding channels 6 communicate through a longitudinal slot 6a with channels 10 of a circular cross section, at least one of which will receive the control string 11 connected to the pilot panel or panels. Between the pairs of adjacent channels 6 are juxtaposed longitudinal channels 12, having, preferably, a cylindrical shape and designed to receive at their ends the pins 13 (FIGS. 5 and 7) provided to connect two adjacent modular elements 1 of the stationary supporting device so as to form this latter, which will be thus constituted of the maximum number of modular elements 1 compatible with the width of the space which the curtain will conceal or show.

The modular members 2 are each constituted of a box-like elongated body, wherein, is provided an upper prismatic longitudinal channel 14, having an open topped longitudinal slot 15, said body further having a central vertical longitudinal web 16, while at its lower part another prismatic longitudinal channel 17 is arranged having a longitudinal bottom slot 18. From the side walls of the body 2 defining the sides of the upper channel 14 and the lower channel 17 extend downwardly and upwardly respectively vertical limbs 19a, 19b defining in combination and at each side of the web 16 two longitudinal channels 20 which are accessible through a longitudinal side slot 20a having a height less than of the respective channel 20. The supporting sliders 9 are inserted through the ends of an upper channel 14, said supporting sliders 9 being made of an elastically deformable material. In the side walls of the boxlike members 2 forming the sides of the channels 14 and 17 and near the ends of these latter, through holes 2a and 2b are respectively arranged. The holes 2a are provided to lock each slider 9 to the respective member 2, as will be hereinbelow described in a more detailed manner. Each slider 9 extends upwards with two longitudinal central limbs 9a adapted to pass through the slots 7 and 15 so as to bring the pair of wheels 8 in the inside of the channel 6, said wheels 8 constituting a suspension, sliding and connection means between the stationary supporting device 1 and a movable shaped member 2 carrying a panel 3. The body 9b of each slider 9 is constituted of a small bar which is so shaped as to be received within the channel 14 of the respective shaped member 2; at one of its ends said bar has two outwardly extending arms 9c, each having a gripping protrusion 9d (FIGS. 2, 3 and 4). At the outer side of each arm there is a prong 92 to be snap received into one of the holes 2a provided in the shaped members 2 to lock a slider 9 to the respective shaped member 2. In the bar 9b a hole 21 is arranged which may be used for receiving a locking screw (shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings) designed to fix a slider 9 together with the box-like member and the respective panel 3 carried by it to the supporting device 1, in the case wherein a panel is concerned which must remain always stationary and which could be, for instance, that panelwhich will be positioned in the closest proximity of one of the side walls 25 adjacent the wall 26 where there is the door or window space 27 designed to be concealed by the panel curtain. On the contrary, the pilot panel will be that panel which in the closed position of the curtain will be positioned in the closest proximity of the other side wall 25, in the case wherein all the panels move in a same direction so as to attain the open or closed position of said curtain respectively.

Moreover, nothing precludes that curtains can be provided having two trains of panels which open starting from the middle line of the curtain space 27 and which move back towards the side walls 25, said two pluralities of panels travelling simultaneously in opposite directions so that two central pilot panels will be provided as well as two stationary side panels. The hole 21 can thus serve alternately to receive a screw 22, as shown in FIG. 2, provided to lock a slider 9 supporting a pilot panel to the control string 11, as will hereinbelow be better illustrated.

For assembling the modular box-like elements 2 subsequent to the first element 1 having been mounted in place and before the mounting of the second element 1, into each channels or runways 6 of the first element 1 through their ends and those of the slots 7 are introduced the wheels 8 and the limbs 9a respectively of pairs of sliders 9, so that their wheels 8 are slidely accomodated within said channels 6. The first wheeled slider9 suspended at the channel 6 in the closest proximity of the wall 26, where the space 57 to be concealed by the curtain has been arranged, will be locked to the stationary supporting device 1 by means of a screw (not shown) which is introduced from the lower part into the hole 21 and which is screwed up to tightly engage the upper part of the channel positioned over said channel 6.

Upon completion of the assembling of the remaining modular elements 1 and of the other end piece,5, on the predetermined first pair of sliders 9 is suspended the first box-shaped member 2, introducing the body 9b of the first slider 9 of the first pair of sliders into the corresponding facing end of the channel 14, said first slider 9 having been previously fixed to the stationary supporting device 1, assuming that the stationary panel 3 is the first panel at the left hand. Then the said member 2 is forced to move towards the left hand along said slider 9, while their outwardly extended arms 9c are pressed one against the other, overcoming the elastic resistance of said arms. Afterwards the slider 9 has completely entered the channel 14, the pressure on the protrusions 9d of the arms 9c is released and the locking between said slider 9 and the box-like member 2 is completed as the prongs 9e are snap received into the facing holes 2a. At 89 is marked an inverted U plug piece which extends rearwardly with two parallel arms 89a having side knobs or prongs 90, each piece 89, 89a being designed to close one of the ends of the channel 17 after the introduction of a composite bar 23 carrying the panel 3, as the arms 89a have been introduced into said channel 17 and their knobs 90 are snap entered the facing holes 2b.

Said composite bar 23 is constituted of two elongated thin plates 23a and 23b having a length slightly less than that of the respective shaped member 2 and having facing surfaces provided with interengaging teeth. Said pair of plates 23a, 23b in its coupling position has a thickness less than that of the channel 17. For the purpose of locking the upper edge of the pannel 3, the toothed plates 3 are locked one against the other, after having previously introduced the cloth edge therebetween near their ends and optionally in other points by means of spring collars 24 which held the said plates 23a, 23b pressed one against the other so that in this sandwiching condition said plates and cloth edge can be inserted into the respective channel 17, the cloth sheet emerging from the slot 18. Each composite bar 23 is held against lengthwise movements into the re spective channel 17 by a pair of plug pieces 89, 89a the side prongs 90 of which are snap received into the holes 2b.

Through the ends of the channel positioned at the front of the first shaped member 2 carrying the stationary panel are introduced a pair of blocks 28 (FIGSPI and 2) having a cross section complementary to that of the channels 20. From the longitudinal side slot 20a of said channel 20 extends outwardly from each block 28 a pair of side teeth 28a, each block being made of a slightly elastically deformable material, in particular plastics. In each block 28 between the teeth 28a a hole is arranged to receive a screw 29, which as it is screwed down into the body of the block 28 causes the expansion of this latter up to lock its walls against the walls of the channel 20 so that each block 28 can be locked to the shapedmember 2 in any desired and adjustable position. Said blocks 28 are designed to co-operate with an identical block 28, mounted in the facing channel 20 of the following shaped member 2 carrying the second panel 3, according to a mutual relationship such that this block 28 mounted on the back of the second member 2 is juxtaposed to the two blocks 28 mounted on the front side of the first member 2. It is noted that a single tooth 28a would have been sufficient. the second tooth 28a having been provided only in order to facilitate the grasp on the respective block 28. Said blocks 28 which cooperate with each other allow all of said successive panels to perform relative back and forth movements, i.e. that said panels can pass from their overlapping relationship to their substantial aligned drawing relationship, while the positioning of said blocks 28 along the respective channels 20 enables adjustment of the overlapping width of the vertical edge portion of two successive panels 3.

It will be apparent that the pilot panel will be provided with one or two blocks 28 mounted only into its rear channel 20, and accordingly the stationary panel will be provided with a similar number of blocks 28 mounted only in its front channel 20. The pilot panel is connected to the control string or cable ll through one of the two supporting sliders 9 and the respective through hole 21 into which a screw 22 is screwed down until it hook its point into thebody of the string 11 sliding along the channel 10 positioned above the channel 6 on which the pilot panel is suspended.

The modular elements 1 forming the curtain supporting device including longitudinal runways are journalled to the ceiling 30, by arranging beforehand into the said ceiling 30 internally threaded tubular nails 31 of an expansible type provided with outer teeth and which can be inserted by a riveting gun or other suitable means and which are designed to receive expansion locking screws 32. In order to enable each modular element 1 to be connected, as an integral part of said ceiling 30, each element 1 is provided with two longitudinal horizontal innerwardly extending upper flanges 33 which define therebetween a longitudinal slot. Each screw 32 has a shank comprising a prismatic section 32a near its head 32b which is designed to abut against a sliding member 34 which can be caused to move underneath the edges of the flanges33, 35 is a toothed washer having a central hole 35a shaped in such a manner to be fitted aboutthe prismatic portion 32a of the shank of the screw 32 and provided with peripheral gripping teeth 35b, while 36 is a spacing washer to be mounted on the screw 32 and designed to abut against the ceiling surface 30. In order to lock one of the modular elements 1 to the ceiling 30, the sliding member 34 carrying the screw '32 must be displaced underneath the flanges 33 subsequent to the control washer 35 having been brought on the portion 32a of the shank of the screw 32 and the washer 36 having been mounted on it.'- For such a purpose a flat pliers may be used engaging the toothed washer 35 so as to cause the screw 32 to move together with the sliding block 34 along the flanges 33 until said screw 32 will come into register with the hole of the tubular nail 31 embedded into the ceiling wall 30; then the toothed washer 35 will be rotated up to'screwtight said screw 32. In order to duly conceal the longitudinal gap which will be formed between each modular element 1 and the ceiling 30 and which is necessary for allowing to reach said control washer 35, on both sides of each element 1 are formed rectangular open channels 37 designed to receive strips 38 to conceal said gaps and whichcan be introduced through the ends of said channels 37 as each element 1 is assembled. In order to shield the outermost entrance orifices of the inner channels 6, 10 and 12 of the outer modular elements 1 forming the composite supporting device 1 and in order to enable at the same time to compose curtains having widths corresponding to any value comprised between those of two successive multiple values of the length of one modular element 1 provision has been made to use end pieces 5 which are telescopically connected with the adjacent modular elements 1. In order to reduce the number of the components of a curtain, two identical end pieces 5 can be provided each comprising all the parts necessary for performing all the predetermined functions.

Each of the end pieces 5 is constituted of a box-like lower member 39 and of a plate 40 which will be fitted in the inside of the member 39 to which said plate is screwed by means of screws 41 (FIG. 7).

The box-like member 39 has a U-shaped cross section and has an open end and a closed end 3922. Its inner shape is such that it can fit about the end of an adjacent element 1 (as shown in broken lines in FIG. 6) to compensate for the major distance between the end of the first element 1 and of its facing side wall of the room or of the end of the space to be occupied by the curtain, besides that which can be covered by using the maximum number of modular elements 1. Near the closed end 390 of each piece 5 and from each side of the boxlike member 39 extends outwardly an L-shaped flange comprising a horizontal limb 42a and a vertical limb 42b in alignment with the closed end wall 39a of the piece 5. In both limbs 42a and 42b holes 43a and 43b are respectively arranged to receive screws 44 to fix the piece 5 to the ceiling or to a side wall 25 (FIGS. 1 and 9), according to the width and/or position of the curtain with regard of the side walls 25.

The box-like member 39 near its head 39a comprises a plurality of vertical orifices 45 each aligned with one of the longitudinal channels 10. Thus, through one of said orifices 45 will be passed and guided downwardly the control string 11, while in the lower surface of the box-like member 39 longitudinal grooves 46, 46a are arranged equal to and aligned 'with the lower slots of the channels 6'and 12 so that said grooves 46, 46a are aligned with said slots arranged in the elements 1. The plate is located at such a height as to be able to pass underneath the horizontal flanges 33 of the adjacent modular element 1. Near the end of the plate 40 are suspended to it the hollow shafts 47 about which are freely mounted for rotation the pulleys 48 which serve to guide the string or cable 1 l passing therebetween the lower end of each shaft 47 being received into a hole arranged in the body 39. Through the inner holes of the hollow shafts 47 pass the screws 41 provided to lock the parts 39 and 40 of the end piece 5 to one another.

Subsequentto the string 11 having been brought to pass between two pulleys 48 and then on the diversion roller 49 the string 11 comes down through an orifice 45. Then the plate 40 is screwed to the box-like member 39 and the end piece 5 is telescopically inserted on the facing end of the adjacent modular element 1. Atterwards the piece 5 is moved backwards towards the outside until it abuts against the side wall 25 or up to the position, corresponding to the desired width of the curtain, in the case that said width is greater than the length of a number of modular elements 1, and when, if another element 1 would be joined, the curtain width would exceed the required value of the curtain to'be obtained.

The lower end portion of each fabric sheet forming the panel 3 may be locked into an articulated composite bar 4 (FIG. 1) constituted of two longitudinal members shaped as a half-shell 50a, 50b which are articulated to one another by means of two coaxial cylindrical projecting limbs 51a, 5 lb one of which is of such a size to be inserted into the other. Said limbs have longitudinal cuts to increase their springiness and so that the smaller limb 51a can be inserted into the other limb 51b so as to form a longitudinal articulation pinless hinge means for the half shell like members 50a, 50b so that these latter can be opened and closed, as pliers arms, rotating about the common axis YY of their cylindrical limbs 51a, 5 lb.

The lower portion of the standard fabric sheet 3, exceeding the useful length, will be wrapped around a bar 52 and will be then introduced into the inner cavity defined in combination by the two shell-like members 50a, 50b, which can be brought in their closed position, while expansion screws 53 are introduced from the ends of the bar 4 in the inside of the innermost tubular limb 51a wherein has been previously introduced bushes made of an elastically deformable material, said expansion screws 53 thus permitting to lock the articulation means 51a, 51b in their closed relationship. At their lower part the hinge limbs 51a, 5 lb extend downwards and outwards with longitudinal gripping limbs 54a, 54b respectively, which come into contact one with another as the shell members 50a, 50b attain their open position, while as said shell members 50a, 50b abut one against another (as shown in FIG. 1) they are spaced away from one another, said limbs 54a, 54b serving to facilitate the grip in order to permit opening of the two shell-like members 50a, 50b. Said limbs 54a, 54b further extend upwardly and downwardly in limbs 55a, 56a and 55b, 56b respectively, thus forming two side longitudinal guiding railways 57. lnto two facing railways 57 of two consecutive articulated bars 4 are mounted a pair of small wheels 58 connected to one an-' other by an articulated arm 59, said devices 58, 59 providing a sliding connection means between the facing side surfaces of two successive panels 3 of the curtain also at their lower part during the movements of the train of panels 3.

The open ends of the articulated bars 4 are then closed by shaped pieces 60 constituted of plug-like bodies, from the inner face of which extends rearwards at least a pair of parallel pins (not shown in the drawings), and designed to be introduced into the cylindrical seats 61 arranged in the shell like members 50a, 50b and designed to assist the screws 53 in maintaining shell members 50a, 50b in their closed arrangement and thus in locking the lower portion of the panel length 3 therebetween.

FlG. 10 shows a modified configuration of a lower articulated bar 4a which is so shaped as to accomodate the lowest portion of the panel sheet 3. In this embodiment the members 62a and 62b forming the articulated bar 4a have at its upper parts cross sections similar to those of the pliers arms, ie they have facing interengaging toothed surfaces acting as gripping members on the panel cloth. The members 62a, 62b are connected to one another at their lower portions by a flexible and slightly elastically deformable plate 63 which is inserted into a pair of facing grooves 64a, 64b arranged near their lower edge in said members 62a and 62b and which may be locked to them by cam locking means 65 having control arms, one of said locking means being shown in FIG. 10. Element 67 is an end piece acting as a closure plug, from the inner end of which extend outwards two parallel pins 68 designed to be received respectively into one of two longitudinal holes 69 arranged near the top of each shaped members 62a, 62b. Below the pins 68 there are two shorter parallel teeth 70 designed to fit into complementary longitudinal holes 71 provided in each of the members 62a and 62b. Each plug-like piece 67 to be introduced into one of the ends of the composite articulated bars 4a has two operative positions. First at all the lower portion of the panel 3 is sandwiched between the two shell shaped members 62a, so as to provide a desired free length of the panel 3. Then the end pieces 67 are mounted by causing only the pins 68 to be partially introduced into the seats 69 so that said pins 68 in this arrangement act as pivot pins for the two shaped members 62a, 62b. By causing at least one of said members 62a or 62b to rotate so as to be moved away from the other, for instance, the member 62a (position shown in broken lines in FIG. 10) the lowest portion of the standard sheet 3 which has been duly rolled up can be accomodated within the inner cavity 66. Then the member 62a is returned at its starting position, ie in the closed position of the articulated bar 4a and the members 62a, 62b are connected one to another by causing the elongated plate 63 to enter the guiding grooves 64a and 64b, said elongated plate 63 being locked in position by the cam devices 65. At last the plug like pieces 67 are introduced wholly into their seats by causing the pins 68 to be wholly introduced into the holes 69 and the teeth 70 to enter their seats 71 so that the articulated bar 4a is securely locked in its closed arrangement.

Element 72 is a cover-like piece including an inner cavity open at one end and shaped so that the piece 72 can be wholly ditted about the adjacent plug piece 67 mounted on the adjacent end of the bar 4a. At the upper part of said piece 72 a slot 73 is arranged open at that end which is positioned upon the open end of the inner cavity of the piece 72 so that as the piece 72 is placed around the piece 67 and the end of the articulated bar 4a is connected thereto, through said fent or slot can emerge a corresponding portion of the panel 3.

At the closed end wall 72a of that piece 72 which will be mounted on the outer end of the articulated bar 4a of the or of each stationary panel a small pulley 74 is mounted for a free rotation, about which passes the string or cable 11 coming down from the mechanism housed into the superposed end piece 5, said string 11 then coming into a box (not shown) comprising known means to spring recall said string, in order to maintain said string in tension.

The assembling of the curtain of this invention is carried out as follows.

If the width of the curtain to be constructed is substantially a multiple value of the length of one modular element 1, first of, one end piece 5 is mounted, in which has been previously introduced the control string 11 as it has hereinabove been stated, and the piece 5 is fixedly connected to the ceiling 30 or to the adjacent side wall 25, according to the position of the ends of the curtain with regard of said side walls 25 and which are placed at the sides of the space 27 arranged in the wall 26 which has be to be concealed by said curtain. lnto said end piece 5 is then introduced the facing end of the first modular element 1 which will be caused to enter until it abuts against the end of its housing seat, subsequent to the string 11 having been introduced into the channel 10. The end piece 5 is placed over the channel 6 along which will be slidably suspended the pilot panel 3. Then at its far end the modular element 1 is anchored to the ceiling 30 as has already hereabove been described, while into each of its runways 6 are introduced the wheels 8 of pairs of supporting sliders 9 which are so positioned in pairs to have their gripping means positioned outwardly in each pair. Then into two of the holes 12 of the first modular element 1 are partially introduced the pins 13, so that projecting portions of these latter can be used to join the second modular element 1 to the first one, in said second element 1 the string 11 having been previously introduced in the channel 10 aligned with that of the first element 1 along which passes the string 11. Then the second element 1 is fixed near its other end to the ceiling 30 and so on, until the last element 1 has been mounted, afterwards the other end piece 5 is mounted which will be fixed to the ceiling 30 or to the side wall 25, subsequent to the string 11 being caused to pass through the mechanism as has hereinabove been already stated.

Then one, or both wheeled sliders 9 of the first pair, for instance, those which are mounted into the channel 6 nearest to the wall 26 by means of screws not shown in the drawings are fixed to the superposed modular element 1, so as to make the first panel immovable, as the series or train of panels 3 is caused to move back and forth, in the case wherein provision has been made that the curtain comprises a single train of panels which all travel, as train elements in a sole direction, so that the pilot panel will be that which is suspended in the channel 6 furthest from the wall 26 and which in closed position of the curtain will be placed in the nearest proximity of the opposite side wall 25. In the case wherein curtains having two panel trains are provided each moving simultaneously in opposite directions, the outermost panels will be fixed, while the pilot panels will be those which in the closed position are positioned near the vertical middle line of the curtain space 27. In this case, into each runway 6 will be located two pairs of supporting sliders 9.

Thereafter are mounted the shaped members 2 introducing through the opposite ends of their channels 14 the supporting sliders 9, the first fixed slider 9 being inserted into the corresponding channel 14 by holding the extended arms 90, 9d pressed one against the other so that the body 9c can enter the channel 14 until the member 2 stops as the prongs 9e of the said slider 9 are snap received into the holes 2a; then at the other end of the shaped member 2 is introduced and locked in the same manner the second slider 9 which is locked by the action of the elastic arms 9c and of the prongs 9e inserted in the holes 2a. At the front channel 20 of the first modular member 2 are then inserted, for instance, two blocks 28, which will be fixed by means of the screws 29 at such positions so as to obtain the overlap ping of the lateral edges of two adjacent panels of a desired extent. At the facing rear channel of the second shaped member 2 is inserted a single block 28 so positioned to be juxtaposed between the blocks 28 of the facing panel 3 and to abut against one or the other of said blocks 28 of the first panel respectively in the overlapping position of said two panels or in their aligned position respectively. No block is mounted on the rear channel 20 of the stationary panel and on the front channel 20 of the pilot panel. The second member 2 is mounted in a similar manner, and the rear block 28 of said panel, as already said, must be juxtaposed between the inner teeth 28a of the two blocks 28 mounted in the front surface of the first member 2, the mutual position of said teeth 28a defining the stroke length of the second panel 3 with regard to the stationary panel, and so Then the panels 3 are mounted, each of which has its upper edge sandwiched between the toothed plates 23a, 23b locked by spring collars 24. The exceeding lower portion of each fabric length 3 is rolled up and accomodated into the articulated bar 4 or 4a, in order that the panel has the desired useful length.

Then the unit comprising the bars 23a, 23b and the spring collars 24 of each panel 3 is introduced into the channel 17 of the pertinent member 2, while at the ends of said channel 17, plug-like pieces 89, 89a are introduced until the prongs 90 are snap received into the holes 2b.

In the case of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, where the articulated bar 4 as shown in FIG. 1 is used, before the assembling of the end pieces 60 the small pulleys 58 are mounted into the side facing channels 57 to connect the adjacent panels at their lower part so as to prevent wind or other effects from undesirably moving said panels, thus obtaining a curtain which in its closed position looks like as it would be formed by a substantially continuous wall constituted of a plurality of partially overlapping panels.

As the width of the curtain is higher than a fraction of the length of a modular element 1, the greater width will be compensated by duly moving outwards each end piece 5 and by reducing the extent of the overlapping vertical edge portion of adjacent panels 3.

The operation of this curtain is well known. Starting from the open position of the curtain and drawing the string or cable 11, first at all the pilot panel begins to move forth sliding along the following panel of the pane] train which remains standing still until one of the teeth of block 28 mounted on the back of the member 2 of said pilot panel engage the corresponding inner tooth 28a of one of the two blocks 28 mounted in the facing channel 20 of the other member 2. Afterwards said two panels begin to move in unison until the teeth 28a of the second and third panels engage one another and so on. Similar effects take place as two pluralities of panels are provided which move simultaneously in opposite directions and which are drawn by the respective pilot panels under the control of their control strings l 1.

I claim:

1. A movable curtain assembly having overhead track means and having end track means adapted to receive in elongated openings the end edges of non-rigid panels forming said movable curtain, comprising: each of said overhead track means having a downwardly directed opening or passageway and laterally projecting flange means adjacent said passageway; carrier means suspended in a releasable manner to sliding means having at least a pair of roller means adapted to be tranversible in said track means; said carrier means having a downwardly facing elongated opening adapted to removably receive fastening means which releasably secure the upper edge of said panels to said carrier means; said panels comprising non-rigid materials; means releasably engaging the lower edge of said panel; adjustable stop means on said carrier means coacting with adjustable stop means of an adjacent carrier means for adjusting the length of the two proposed portions of the vertical edges of the panels in the extended condition of the panel or curtain assembly; and means for precluding the lower edges of the panels from separating with respect to each other, whereby said panels can be readily removed from said curtain assembly for cleaning.

2. The movable curtain assembly according to claim 1, wherein said overhead track means comprises a plurality of tracks spliced together by pin means so as to form a continuous elongated overhead track.

3. The movable curtain assembly according to claim 2, including passageways in said tracks adapted to receive control cable means for moving said curtain assembly.

4. The movable curtain assembly according to claim 3, wherein the end track means include pulley means for guiding downwardly at least one of said control cable means for controlling the back and forth movement of said panels along said overhead track means.

5. The movable curtain assembly according to claim 1, including end plug means adapted to be snap-fitted to said carrier means for precluding longitudinal movement of said panels.

6. The movable curtain assembly according to claim 1, wherein said sliding means including outwardly extending prongs adapted to be snap-fitted to said carrier means for removably securing same to said carrier means.

7. The movable curtain assembly according to claim 1, wherein said fastening means including clipped means for releasably securing a pair of longitudinal plate elements sandwiching therebetween the upper edge of said panels.

8. The movable curtain assembly according to claim 1, wherein said means releasably engaging the lower edge of said panels comprising pinless hinge means forming a longitudinal articulated assembly having a pair of shell-like members which open and close about an axis for clamping therebetween said lower edge of said panels.

9. The movable curtain assembly according to claim 8, wherein said pair of shell-like members form a cavity to receive the lower portion of said panels, and any excess length of said panels adapted to be wrapped about a member and be releasably enclosed within the cavity formed by said pair of shell-like members. 

1. A movable curtain assembly having overhead track means and having end track means adapted to receive in elongated openings the end edges of non-rigid panels forming said movable curtain, comprising: each of said overhead track means having a downwardly directed opening or passageway and laterally projecting flange means adjacent said passageway; carrier means suspended in a releasable manner to sliding means having at least a pair of roller means adapted to be tranversible in said track means; said carrier means having a downwardly facing elongated opening adapted to removably receive fastening means which releasably secure the upper edge of said panels to said carrier means; said panels comprising non-rigid materials; means releasably engaging the lower edge of said panel; adjustable stop means on said carrier means coacting with adjustable stop means of an adjacent carrier means for adjusting the length of the two proposed portions of the vertical edges of the panels in the extended condition of the panel or curtain assembly; and means for precluding the lower edges of the panels from separating with respect to each other, whereby said panels can be readily removed from said curtain assembly for cleaning.
 2. The movable curtain assembly according to claim 1, wherein said overhead track means comprises a plurality of tracks spliced together by pin means so as to form a continuous elongated overhead track.
 3. The movable curtain assembly according to claim 2, including passageways in said tracks adapted to receive control cable means for moving said curtain assembly.
 4. The movable curtain assembly according to claim 3, wherein the end track means include pulley means for guiding downwardly at least one of said control cable means for controlling the back and forth movement of said panels along said overhead track means.
 5. The movable curtain assembly according to claim 1, including end plug means adapted to be snap-fitted to said carrier means for precluding longitudinal movement of said panels.
 6. The movable curtain assembly according to claim 1, wherein said sliding means including outwardly extending prongs adapted to be snap-fitted to said carrier means for removably securing same to said carrier means.
 7. The movable curtain assembly according to claim 1, wherein said fastening means including clipped means for releasably securing a pair of longitudinal plate elements sandwiching therebetween the upper edge of said panels.
 8. The movable curtain assembly according to claim 1, wherein said means releasably engaging the lower edge of said panels comprising pinless hinge means forming a longitudinal articulated assembly having a pair of shell-like members which open and close about an axis for clamping therebetween said lower edge of said panels.
 9. The movable curtain assembly according to claim 8, wherein said pair of shell-like members form a cavity to receive the lower portion of said panels, and any excess length of said panels adapted to be wrapped about a member and be releasably enclosed within the cavity formed by said pair of shell-like members. 